What is Oncology Nursing
Oncology nursing is a course in which qualified, both GNM and B.Sc nurses have to study for one academic year. An oncology nursing course is a special course through which qualified nurses gain knowledge in different fields. The goal of Oncology nursing is to develop a cadre of specially trained Oncology Nurses.
These nurses are trained while pursuing Oncology nursing in such a way that they will be able to handle and maintain several modern devices used in medical science to treat patients, take care of critically ill cancer patients, help to treat minor surgical processes, and more important tasks.
Eligibility Criteria (UG & PG) of Oncology Nursing
There are no special eligibility criteria required to study Oncology nursing. However, there are some basic criteria required that are mentioned by the institutes offering this course. Those are as follows:
1. Candidates must have qualified General Nursing and Midwifery or B.Sc. Nursing degrees.
2. The age limit must be between 22 to 35 years old to be suitable for this course.
3. Only registered GNM / B.Sc. nurses who are registered with the State Nursing Council.
4. Foreign candidates who have all the above-mentioned qualifications, experience, and also a certificate from the Indian Nursing Council that ensures their eligibility, are also eligible for this post.
Entrance Exams for Oncology Nursing
There is no such entrance exam to get admission in Oncology nursing. Candidates who are seeking to get admission in this course, need to appear for a personal interview in the respective institute.
The selection of the candidates for Oncology nursing in any institute is strictly based on the marks obtained by him/her in the personal interview.
Students will get priority if they are sponsored by any cancer care hospital or center that gives treatment to cancer care patients.
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Scope of Oncology Nursing in India and Abroad
There are a lot of opportunities and scope in the field of Oncology Nursing. The number of cancer patients is indeed increasing in India and abroad. Therefore, the demand for candidates and skilled nurses from this field is high.
Trained Oncology nursing graduates get massive opportunities in national as well as international cancer research institutes, colleges, cancer centres, and hospitals both in government and the private sector.
Course Fees Oncology Nursing
Minimum Fees | Maximum Fees | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Private | Government | Private | Government | |
PG | ||||
DIPLOMA |
Course Subjects
There are very few subjects to study in Oncology nursing. As per Indian Nursing Council, students have to give certain hours in this field for theory and practical. Those are as follows:
Clinical Nursing- I
Clinical Nursing- II
Supervision & Management
Elementary Research & Statistics
Clinical Teaching
Internship
Careers in Oncology Nursing
The career prospects in Oncology nursing are pretty high. As the number of cancer patients is increasing, therefore the demand for the medical staff in this field is also increasing significantly. Students after passing this course get plenty of high-paying job opportunities all over India.
After successful completion of a course in Oncology nursing, the candidates will get the designation of a staff nurse. A selective group of students who have passed with distinction, first-class, and pass class will get several salary increments within their first two years as a staff nurse strictly according to their score.
Candidates, after pursuing Oncology nursing will get job opportunities in both Government and private hospitals, pathologies, labs, diagnostic centres, treatment centres, and in other fields.
Upcoming trends
There are some upcoming fields in Oncology nursing where students are working recently. From identifying the disease to treating the patients all are now technology involved. Therefore, the treatment is strictly monitored by the machine and accuracy is getting higher day by day.
New treatment measures are used nowadays for different age groups. For the development of technology-based treatment, the recovery rate of the patient is going up.
Job Profiles and Top Recruiters
Nurses who are working in Oncology nursing and who are going to choose this field to work in near future should perform several functions. Those are as follows:
● Take care of cancer patients throughout the hospital as per requirement.
● Monitor the cancer patients, check their condition and record the daily progress of the patients who are recovering from cancer.
● Provide the right information and help the family members of the patient so that they get confidence and moral support.
● Oncology nursing graduates are supposed to help the patient to think positive and get better with treatment.
● Decrease the mortality rate and perform better actions than unskilled nursing.
● Teach the nurses who are going to take Oncology nursing field as their profession.
● Use the available resources effectively as well as wisely to get the desired results.
● Identify cancer at early stages by several methodologies and technologies by continuous participation in cancer screening and cancer detection programs.
● Develop the skills required to run an oncology unit.
Some of the job profiles in Oncology nursing are mentioned below along with their description:
Job Profile | Job Description |
Oncology nursing students opting this profession are required to take care of cancer patients who are admitted to a hospital or cancer centre. They used to monitor the patients, check their condition, and record the daily updates as per guidelines. | |
Managers/ Head of oncology | Used to lead the team of nurses. Guide them, teach them, and help them to rectify their mistakes if anything has done wrong mistakenly. |
Nursing Tutors/ Lecturers | Used to teach qualified nurses in medical colleges/cancer research institutes/cancer centres. |
Research scholars in cancer research institutes | Oncology nursing students who are the part of the research team who are involved in laboratory research and trying to find out a cure for this disease. They also try to find a new way to treat cancer patients. |
Top Recruiters
Oncology nursing students can grab massive opportunities in the following areas of recruitment:
Government and private hospitals,
Cancer research centres
Pharmaceutical companies
Pathologies
Medicine companies
Average Salary
The average annual salary depends upon several factors. Location, job profile, experience, organization, and many other factors are taken into consideration to get to know about the average annual salary of any trained Oncology Nursing graduate. Here is a table to get a basic idea about their salaries as follows:
Job Profile | Average Annual Salary |
Oncology Clinical nurses | Rs. 3-5 Lakhs P.A. (Approx.) |
Managers/ Head of oncology | Rs. 4-6 Lakhs P.A. (Approx.) |
Nursing Tutors/ Lecturers | Rs. 3.5-4.5 Lakhs P.A. (Approx.) |
Research scholars in cancer research institutes | Rs. 5-7 Lakhs P.A. (Approx.) |
Required Skillset for Oncology Nursing
There are some basic requirements to be a perfect fit for Oncology nursing and also for the future. Those are as follows:
Candidates must be able to perform nursing assessments and take appropriate care to cancer patients.
The candidates must have sound knowledge of supportive care as well as techniques for oncology patients.
Candidates must be able to educate patients along with their family members about the disease and to provide the right information at the right time.
Candidates should be physically fit.
Candidates having at least one year of experience in hospital in the field related to Oncology nursing should be given priority.
Candidates with good communication skills in English.
Course Curriculum for Oncology Nursing
There are two types of certification courses available in Oncology Nursing training. For some institutes, the course is 6 months long and for some institutes, it usually takes 12 years to complete. Whatever the duration is, the students need to get involved with the cancer patients throughout the whole period. Oncology nursing course is very useful for those nurses who want a strong base in the field of cancer treatment and relative fields.
For the six months course of Oncology nursing , students spend 5 months of classroom study along with clinical practice and the rest 1 month for an internship. For the 12 months long course, students get classroom study and laboratory experience for 10 months and the rest is for the internship.
Popular Oncology Nursing Entrance Exams in India
Popular Oncology Nursing Colleges in India VIEW ALL
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Question: Is this field suitable for both boys and girls equally?
Answer :
Nursing is a field where most of the positions are taken by the girls. Therefore, the number of boys involved in this course is pretty less. However, it is suitable for both boys and girls. In recent times, the number of boys in Oncology nursing is getting higher.
Question: Is a job in the Oncology nursing field difficult?
Answer :
That depends on individuals’ choices and interests. There is a lot of effort to give in the hospitals/treatment and research centres which also includes night shifts. Various factors like job profile, location, shift, and many more play a role in the difficulty of the job in Oncology nursing . As they are involved in the recovery process of the patients, therefore, they need to give much more effort.
Question: Can any graduate students apply for Oncology Nursing courses?
Answer :
No, only qualified nurses with GNM or B.Sc degree are eligible to get into this course. However, they must have some selection criteria to be eligible for the Oncology Nursing course.
Question: What would be the prospects of Oncology Nursing in India?
Answer :
There are huge prospects in the field of Oncology Nursing in our country. AS the requirement for trained and qualified nurses is pretty high always. Therefore, students recently passed or going to pass the course have a huge opportunity in their hands from their career perspectives.
They will get jobs in Medical Colleges, Cancer Research Centers, and other institutes related to cancer treatment. Candidates will get high paying jobs all over India after completion of their course.
Question: What is the duration of work in the field of Oncology Nursing?
Answer :
There is an average of 8 to 10 hours of work required by the nurses who are working in Oncology nursing and attached to any of the cancer research centres/medical colleges/cancer centres. However, the time required while working for any particular organization will vary.
The required work hour varies according to the various factors like job profile, location, and others. However, overtime work may also be required.
Questions related to Oncology Nursing
In mumbai which college is best for oncology nursing
Dear Ankita ,
Here is the following colleges name that offers Oncology :
- AIIMS Delhi - All India Institute of Medical Sciences New. ...
- AFMC Pune - Armed Forces Medical College. ...
- JIPMER Puducherry - Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research. ...
- AIIMS Rishikesh - All India Institute of Medical Sciences. ...
- Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.
- Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram
- Kannur University, Kannur
- College of Nursing CMC, Vellore and others
To know more about the colleges, you may refer to this link too:
Top Oncology Nursing Colleges in India 2022 – Courses, Fees, Admission, Rank (careers360.com)
Hope this helps !
what is the procedure for admission in oncology nursing
Hello,
Oncology nursing is a 6 months course. It is planned for nurses who have very limited cancer nursing experience.
The eligibility criteria-
You must have completed bsc nursing course.
The stipend is Rs 2000/- for internship period only for external candidates.
Procedure-
- First you have to submit the duly filled application form.
- The shortlisted candidates list will be displayed on institute notice board.
- All shortlisted candidates are required to come for an interview process.
- Final list of selected candidates, along with the instructions for completion of formalities before joining will be displayed on institute notice board.
- External Selected candidates will have to clear the Medical Examination done by institute itself.
- Selected candidate must submit the required documents and Fee and get registered for the course.
what can we do after msc oncology nursing?
Hey!
After completion of your M.Sc. Oncology Nursing, you have two options. Either you can go for further studies or you can choose to build a career.
If you want to get into a job, you can become an oncology nurse. This will offer you good salary and income.
But if you wish to continue your studies, you can opt for specialization in any of the following topics after M.Sc. Oncology Nursing:
- Cardio Thoracic Nursing.
- Critical Care Nursing.
- Emergency and Disaster Nursing.
- Neonatal Nursing.
- Neuro Nursing.
- Nursing Education and Administration.
- Oncology Nursing.
- Operation Room Nursing.
Hope this answer helps!